Fitchburg Common Council Meeting - January 27, 2026

The Fitchburg Common Council met on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 6:00 PM, with Mayor Radafrata presiding and all alders present, establishing a quorum. The meeting lasted until 10:31 PM and included public testimony, approval of resolutions on land stewardship, park naming, zoning changes, and a bicycle pedestrian plan, along with routine consents, updates, and district reports.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved by unanimous voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Paul Algiers (Fitchburg resident since 1998) spoke about a blighted adjacent property at 2470 South Saying. He stated that his home value is 10-15% below market due to the condition, and he urged the council to enforce ordinances on junk storage (70.93), inoperable vehicles (70.94), and debris (70.95). He noted that the city has previously written an ordinance (74.92) addressing such issues but has not resolved the problem, which now includes seven trailers and six vehicles on the property. The City Administrator acknowledged the difficulty and confirmed that citations have been issued but long-term resolution is challenging.
• Steve Arnold (2530 Targee St., representing Wisconsin Bike Fed) spoke on Resolution R40-26 regarding Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program reauthorization. He requested an amendment to include both property maintenance and acquisition funding to avoid a gubernatorial veto. The council adopted the amendment.
• Charles Carlin (2792 Endive Dr., representing Gathering Waters, Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts) supported the resolution, noting that 93% of Wisconsin voters support land conservation and that the city would be the 50th local government to pass such a resolution. He emphasized the importance of acquisition funding.
• Christopher Peguero (Fitchburg resident) spoke in favor of naming the new park at 2020 Traceway Drive as "Hostahochi" (a Ho Chunk name meaning place to gather). He argued that the name honors indigenous people, brings the land acknowledgment to life, and supports language preservation.
• Sue Easter Day (Osmondson Rd., Parks Commission member) supported the Parks Commission's recommended name "Traceway Park and Community Center." She explained that the commission followed the naming policy, considered multiple options, and the name is simple and inclusive. She mentioned that "Hub" was rejected due to regional overuse (11 other uses), and "Hostahochi" was not selected after being nominated twice.
• Heidi Reynolds (5164 Anton Dr., Parks Commission member) reiterated support for Traceway Park and Community Center, emphasizing the importance of a descriptive location name for easy access.
• Ryan Grinder (representing the Ho Chunk Nation) presented the name "Hostahochi" as gifted from the Nation, and he spoke about the history of reservations and encouraged the council to adopt the name to honor indigenous presence.
• Additional letters and emails were submitted in support of "Hostahochi."

Discussion Items

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program Resolution (R40-26)
The council considered a resolution calling for reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Alder Cross made a motion to approve with an amendment adding "both property maintenance and property acquisition" to the funding clause, seconded and passed unanimously on voice vote, then the amended resolution passed. The council also requested that the city clerk forward the resolution to assembly and senate leadership.

Park Naming (R242-25)
A resolution to name the park at 2020 Traceway Drive was moved by Alder Herbst as recommended by the Parks Commission. Multiple council members spoke on the two main options: "Traceway Park and Community Center" and "Hostahochi." Alder Jetzer, Maldonado, Ladais, and others expressed strong support for "Hostahochi," citing its meaning, cultural significance, and ability to educate and honor the Ho Chunk Nation. Alder Dancer (Dave) argued against "Hostahochi," stating that it would be more appropriate for a natural area rather than an urban park, and urged respect for the Parks Commission's decision. He also cautioned against implicit biases. Mayor Radafrata clarified that the commission's recommendation is advisory and the council has final authority. The motion to amend the name to "Hostahochi" passed on a roll call vote (Aye: Dancer Jr., Gearhardt, Jetzer, Ladais, Lepper, Maldonado, Regstead; Nay: Herbs). The main motion as amended then passed with one opposing vote.

Comprehensive Development Plan – Jamestown Quarry (R34-26, R36-26, Ord. 2026-004)
The council approved a CDP amendment to allow commercial and residential development at Fitch Rona Road, following a minor comp plan amendment in December 2025. The Plan Commission report highlighted concerns about commercial-residential interface, parking, buffer widths, and tree removal. The developer (Jeff Huntley) responded to questions, noting that the retail center is expected to open in late summer 2027, with phase one behind schedule due to site material issues. The resolution and related certified survey map and rezone were approved.

Preliminary Plat – Notre Dame Drive Subdivision (R35-26, Ord. 2026-002)
Approved a preliminary plat for 28 parcels including 25 buildable lots near 2674 Notre Dame Drive. Public comments raised concerns about stormwater and misrepresentation of open space; staff noted that the land has been designated for low-density residential since the 1990s. The project includes a tree plan, multi-use path connecting to Maga Park, and stormwater management. A buffer width issue was discussed regarding Swan Creek; the developer expects to lose at most one or two lots if the buffer is expanded. Discussion included traffic, stormwater, and the fact that 217 desirable trees were identified.

Memory Care Facility (Ord. 2026-003)
Approved a rezone of a PDD to allow conversion of hospice beds into a dementia village and staff apartments at 5395 East Cheryl Parkway. The developer indicated that there is no current demand for hospice beds. Council members expressed enthusiasm for the innovative dementia care model, which promises to be one of the first in the country. Alder Jetzer shared a personal story about dementia, and Alder Herbst inquired about mirror usage in the design. The renovation is expected to complete by fall 2027.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update (R174-25)
Discussion involved a plan approved by the Transportation and Transit Commission but tabled by the Community and Equity Committee. Steve Arnold (Bike Fitchburg) opposed the plan as submitted, citing errors in network maps and uncaptioned photos. Phil Groupe (Sustainability Specialist) explained the limited budget ($25,000) and consultant constraints, and proposed that some technical and clerical changes could be made after adoption. The council voted to approve the resolution with the expectation that staff would implement the highlighted changes, including captioning photos. Alder Jetzer urged regular annual reviews by the bicycle and pedestrian commission.

Administrator's Report
Provided updates on the urban strategic forestry plan (public comments due February 24), in-person absentee voting (February 3-13), changes to polling locations, the Fire and EMS district RFP with the Village of Oregon (release anticipated next week), a joint committee of the whole session with Oregon on southeast Fitchburg development (February, time to be moved to 5:30 PM), employee recognition, and the city's first electronic newsletter (launching next week, currently 400 subscribers).

Mayor's Report
Reported on monthly meetings regarding EMS/fire consolidation, a ribbon cutting for Web Physical Therapy, participation in the Frozen Asset Summit, applying for the Renew the Blue cohort (seeking one elected official), final design of the Community Celebration Wall (themes: community, sustainability, diversity, innovation), and a forthcoming stormwater presentation.

Other Key Resolutions
Numerous resolutions were approved under the Board of Public Works, Finance, and other committees. Notable items include:

• Legal services for property tax assessment lawsuits (R08-26, R13-26, R22-26) – all passed with two-thirds majority.
• Acceptance of the 2026-2028 water treatment chemicals contract (R04-26) – cheaper than previous year.
• Approval of a John Deere tractor upgrade (R05-26) – additional $4,900 for a higher horsepower model.
• Amendment of sidewalk assessment amounts (R07-26) – clerical correction.
• Approval of change order for Fish Hatchery Road repairs (R11-26) – $80,000 overage split 50/50 with the county; traffic control cost increased from $5,000 to $37,000.
• Amending budgets for a public works LTE project engineer (R12-26) – retroactive funding for 200 hours in 2025 and 350 hours in 2026.
• Accepting a proposal for an interactive feature in the children's library (R06-26) – up to $100,000, to be designed by Bachman Design Group.
• Venture debt fund participation agreement with Madison Development Corporation (R16-26) – renewed since 2004.
• Approving Efficiency Navigator program contract (R25-26) – $100,000 management fee for the program (total budget $500,000 in 2026).
• Approving payroll scheduling software for police (R03-26) – to replace paper timesheets; implementation targeted for July 1.
• Approving a new lease agreement for a third-floor copier (R14-26) – substitution for unavailable model.
• Amending 2025 budget for TV wireless intercom (R15-26) – carryover missed.
• Amending TID closure fund for fire department shipping containers for training (R17-26) – to improve ISO rating potentially reducing insurance costs; praised as innovative use of funds.
• Approving fire department overtime budget amendment (R20-26) – $196,000 over budget in 2025 due to staffing challenges; Chief noted efforts to improve through hiring, contract negotiations, and limiting excessive hours.
• Approving EMS grant for training and equipment (R21-26) – $112,871 from the state, including $20,000 for training and the rest for AEDs and PPE; will fund two AEDs for Maga Park and McKee Park.
• Pre-approving outside legal services for labor issues (R24-26) – annual authorization for Axley Brynelson LLP.
• Authorizing purchase of a dump truck (R23-26) – $69,900 from Kaiser, under $75,000 budget; 4-wheel drive.
• Acceptance of a sewer interceptor extension bid (R29-26) – Fisher Excavating, $601,000 plus 10% contingency, significantly below engineer's estimate of nearly $1 million; will eventually serve Hartung and connect to Oregon.
• Authorization of legal services for defense of tax assessment lawsuits (R08-26, R13-26, R22-26) – all passed on roll call votes.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution R40-26 (Knowles-Nelson) passed with amendment requesting funding for both maintenance and acquisition.
• Resolution R242-25 (Park naming) amended and approved naming the park Hostahochi (7-1 roll call on amendment).
• Comprehensive development plan for Jamestown quarry (R34-26) and associated items approved.
• Preliminary plat for Notre Dame subdivision (R35-26) approved.
• Rezone for memory care facility (Ordinance 2026-003) approved.
• Bicycle and pedestrian plan (R174-25) approved with staff to make listed corrections.
• Consent items, routine resolutions, and closed session legal updates approved as noted.
• Fire department overtime (R20-26) and other budget amendments passed with required two-thirds votes.
• Next meeting: Committee of the Whole on January 28 (passive building presentation); next Common Council meeting on February 10.
• Meeting adjourned at 10:31 PM.